Christmas Eve Dec 24, 2023

There"s a certain magic in knowing that in towns around the world, shops are closing, streets are emptying and friends and families are gathering together to take comfort in the company of one another on Christmas Eve. Each of us has our own traditions, from filling stockings to hosting parties and playing festive music. Today"s snapshot portrays the annual celebration in the Town Hall Square of Tartu, Estonia, which is illuminated with gleaming lights and adorned with a display of Christmas trees. Tartu"s Christmas fair has a merry atmosphere, featuring sleigh rides, fire kettles and wooden animal carousels. All of this is accompanied by smoked meats, hot drinks and crispy gingerbread. Whether you"re watching a classic holiday movie or cozying up with a cup of hot cocoa as the clock strikes twelve, let the Christmas spirit reign on this peaceful night—and don"t forget the milk and cookies!

© Westend61/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

All is calm
Dec 24, 2024Silent night, sparkling lights and hearts full of joy
Dec 24, 2025Christmas Eve

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Two hungry baby beavers
When only a hug will do
Can you name these pretty flowers?
Jan 25, 2024Agra Fort, Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Sequoias of the sea
The ‘eighth wonder’?
World Hippo Day, a giant celebration
Napping near the North Pole
Jul 13, 2024Fairy chimneys and cave dwellings in Cappadocia, Türkiye
Sep 9, 2025A female Eurasian red squirrel, Switzerland
Jul 23, 2025Vatican City, Rome, Italy
Nov 24, 2025Gwalior Fort, Madhya Pradesh
Jul 5, 2025Tour de France
Jun 25, 2024Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, USA
May 3, 2024The Sonoran Desert, Arizona, US
Dec 11, 2023Huangshan Mountains, China
Nov 26, 2025Olive orchard in the Serra de Tramuntana, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Aug 21, 2023Skógafoss waterfall, Iceland
Jun 17, 2024Green-crowned brilliant hummingbird
A true symbol of heritage and royalty
Pearl among the emeralds
Apr 2, 2024Beech trees and anemone wildflowers, Jutland, Denmark
A gorge-ous place to drop in
Dec 31, 2023New Years Eve!
Sep 13, 2024Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USA
Nov 22, 2025Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan, China
May 11, 2024An indigo on a branch, Texas, USA
A cantilevered window to the past
An island made from a vow
Jan 23, 2026Þorrablót, Icelandic midwinter festival